USS BARB SS-220 (Continued)
TMO Update V2.0
100 difficulty
cams and contacts off
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USS BARB SS-220 (Continued)
Operating with "wolfpack" i.e. Coordinated Attack Group, designatedTask Group 17.5 or "ED's Eradicators." (QUEENFISH, TUNNY) in Luzon Straits..
August 31, 1944
2246 SJ contact bearing 349 26250 yards.
Multiple pips. Convoy. (Ship Contact No.4)
2248 Topped off Battery Charge. Shadowed
convoy until night fall.
2259 SD contact 24000 yards. (Aircraft Contact No.7 )
2301 SD contact closing fast.
Dive
2310 GENERAL QUARTERS-TORPEDO-SUBMERGED
Opted to make dusk periscope attack
as moon would again prevent surface torpedo attack.
2350 Observed large AO in center column.
Similar to AKATSUKI MARU class 11800 tons.
September 1, 1944
TORPEDO ATTACK NO.7
0003 Tubes 2,3,4 made ready to fire.
0004 Fired Tubes 2,3,4 at AO AKATSUKI MARU. 1950 yards.
Torpedo Depth: 8 ft.All torpedoes expended.
CAPT E.R. Swinburne, USN., COM TG 17.5, pushed the firing plunger
for the last three torpedoes. (I added a crew member with name/rank on this patrol and had stationed on the torpedo fire control panel on this attack.)
0005 All three torpedoes impacted tanker.
Tanker apparently empty of fuel, as did not explode
as expected. Tanker slowed with visible fire astern in engine compartments
where one torpedo impacted. Fore toward bow as well.
Pinging began. AK nearby fired on BARB's scope, turned to ram.
Escort closing. Ordered 350 feet . Rigged for depth charge and Silent Running.
0010 BARB depth 300 ft, escort above.
Large pattern of splashes heard.
BARB passed 315 ft.
Many DC explosions. Real tooth shakers. Damage reported
in after torpedo room.
0012 Large DC pattern, not close.
0013 Pinging.
0015 Enemy above. Many splashes.
BARB leveled off at 390 ft.
0016 DC explosions. Boat shaken.
0022 Pinging.
0025 Pinging, short scale. Enemy closing.
0026 Enemy above. Splashes.
0027 DC explosions. Boat shaken.
Close depth charge. Damage reported.
Flooding reported in Aft engine room.
Damage Control Party dispatched.
0029 Flooding under control.
0032 Many DC splashes above.
0033 Many DC explosions. Boat shaken.
0035 Many DC splashes above.
0040 DC explosions. Boat shaken.
0045 Sounds of ship breaking up from last known bearing of AO torpedoed.
Several large explosions from that bearing as well.
0430 Nearly four hours since last depth charge, two hours since last contact with enemy. BARB ascended to periscope depth.
0435 Periscope Depth.
0440 Radar depth.
0450 Surfaced. Secured GQ.
0534 Returned to scene of Torpedo Attack No.7
0545 Located large debris field and oil slick at 20-30N 119-44E.
AO AKATSUKI MARU 11800 tons sunk
0546 With all torpedoes expended so early in patrol,
set course for Saipan to rearm and refuel so that BARB my rejoin
QUEENFISH and TUNNY for further operations.
1415 SD contact 12152 yards closing.
Dive! (Aircraft Contact No.8)
1417 BARB at 150 ft.
2213 Periscope depth. Overcast, fog. Choppy seas with heavy rains.
2315 Surfaced. En route Saipan.
September 2
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En route Saipan
September 3
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En route Saipan
September 4
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En route Saipan
September 5
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En route Saipan
September 6
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1300 Docked at Garapan, Saipan. Reload oftorpedoes,
provisions, refueling, and voyage repairs began shortly after arrival.
September 7
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0345 Voyage repairs completed. Provisions loaded and stocked.
0400 Reload of twelve MK 14-3A, four MK 23-2, and eight MK 18-2 torpedoes completed.
0430 Refueling completed. Ready for sea.
0500 Underway from Garapan, Saipan.
Proceeded on course to return to patrol area.
September 8
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En route patrol area.
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